Method and system for mutual authentication of wireless communication network nodes

ABSTRACT

A method and system for mutually authenticating a first node and a second node operating in a wireless communication network enables mutual authentication when the first node and the second node are unable to directly authenticate each other. The method includes identifying, at the first node, a third node that can authenticate both the first node and the second node (step  215 ). Authentication data for authenticating the first node with the third node is then transmitted from the first node to the third node (step  220 ). Keying material that is received from the third node is then processed at the first node (step  225 ). A shared secret mutual authentication protocol is then processed, whereby the first node and the second node are mutually authenticated by proving that they each have authenticated with the third node and each have the keying material (step  230 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to mutually authenticatingwireless network nodes, and in particular to mutually authenticating twonetwork nodes using the assistance of a third network node.

BACKGROUND

Mobile devices such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants(PDAs) and notebook computers often require authentication whenaccessing remote databases or networks. Devices are generallyauthenticated through an Infrastructure Access Point (IAP), such as abase station, which is connected to an authentication server. Anauthentication request can be transmitted for example using anExtensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) comprising EAP Over Local AreaNetwork (EAPOL) packets. The authentication process involves severalEAPOL packets being transmitted and received, beginning with an EAPStart packet and finishing with either an EAP Success message packet oran EAP Failure message packet. The authentication server stores theauthentication credentials of a mobile device (typically called asupplicant) that is being authenticated. Authentication servers also canbe connected to other authentication servers to obtain supplicantauthentication credentials that are not stored locally.

In prior systems, a centralized procedure is followed where a single IAPhandles an authentication process for all supplicants within range ofthe IAP. For example, prior systems which adhere to American NationalStandards Institute/Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(ANSI/IEEE) 802.1X or ANSI/IEEE 802.11i standards utilize such acentralized procedure. Because every supplicant can be authenticatedonly via an IAP, such a centralized procedure is not practical inwireless communication networks that have nodes operating outside of thewireless range of an IAP.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer toidentical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate viewsand which together with the detailed description below are incorporatedin and form part of the specification, serve to further illustratevarious embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages allin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a wireless communicationnetwork, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a general flow diagram illustrating a method, from theperspective of a first node, for mutually authenticating the first nodeand a second node that are operating in an ad hoc wireless communicationnetwork, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a general flow diagram illustrating sub-steps of the methoddescribed in FIG. 2, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating components of a node of awireless communication network, according to some embodiments of thepresent invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements inthe figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help toimprove understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be observed that the embodiments resideprimarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus componentsrelated to mutually authenticating wireless communication network nodes.Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have beenrepresented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings,showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understandingthe embodiments of the present invention, so as not to obscure thedisclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top andbottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity oraction from another entity or action without necessarily requiring orimplying any actual such relationship or order between such entities oractions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variationthereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that aprocess, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elementsdoes not include only those elements but may include other elements notexpressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, orapparatus. An element preceded by “comprises a . . . ” does not, withoutmore constraints, preclude the existence of additional identicalelements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprisesthe element.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention describedherein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors andunique stored program instructions that control the one or moreprocessors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processorcircuits, some, most, or all of the functions of mutually authenticatingwireless communication network nodes as described herein. Thenon-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, a radioreceiver, a radio transmitter, signal drivers, clock circuits, powersource circuits, and user input devices. As such, these functions may beinterpreted as steps of a method for mutually authenticating wirelesscommunication network nodes. Alternatively, some or all functions couldbe implemented by a state machine that has no stored programinstructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits(ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of thefunctions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination ofthe two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for thesefunctions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that oneof ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and manydesign choices motivated by, for example, available time, currenttechnology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts andprinciples disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating suchsoftware instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram illustrates an wirelesscommunication network 100, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention. The network 100 includes a plurality of nodes 105-n (i.e.,nodes 105-1 to 105-7) that function as wireless communication devices.According to some embodiments, the network 100 can comprise a Mobile AdHoc Network (MANET). MANETs are based on autonomous collections ofmobile users who communicate with each other over wireless links havinglimited bandwidths. MANETs are usually temporary packet radio networkswhich do not involve significant supporting infrastructure and in whichthe user nodes themselves perform routing functions. For example, thenodes 105-n can be each associated with a member of a response team thathas just arrived at an incident scene. The incident scene may includefor example a crime scene, fire scene, accident scene, biological orchemical hazard scene, or another type of emergency or otherwisecritical scene. Further, consider that the members of the response teaminclude members from different organizations. For example the first node105-1 may be associated with a local police officer, and the second node105-2 may be associated with an ambulance driver from a local hospital.To enable the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 to quicklytrust each other, they need to complete a secure authentication process.As described in more detail below, each node 105-n therefore comprisesmutual authentication computer readable program code components 110.

As known by those skilled in the art, ad hoc wireless networks such asMANETs generally do not include traditional network infrastructure suchas base stations, so it can be difficult for ad hoc network nodes toauthenticate each other using prior art techniques such as ExtensibleAuthentication Protocol (EAP) Over Local Area Network (EAPOL) packets.However, as described in detail below, the present invention enables twoad hoc wireless network nodes to mutually authenticate using assistancefrom a third network node that functions as a trust bridge. Use of sucha trust bridge can provide a fast and efficient means of mutualauthentication.

Consider that the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 seek tomutually authenticate. A mutual authentication process can begin withthe first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 exchanging lists of theirrespective trust anchors. As known by those skilled in the art, a trustanchor is, for example, a public key that a particular node trusts toverify a public key infrastructure (PKI) certificate, where thecertificate authenticates the identity of another node. Thus if thefirst node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 each have one or more trustanchors by which they can authenticate a certificate the other holds,the two nodes 105-1, 105-2 can mutually authenticate by exchangingcertificates in messages signed so as to prove they hold the private keycorresponding to that certificate.

However, according to embodiments of the present invention, the firstnode 105-1 and the second node 105-2 can still mutually authenticate,even if one or both does not have a trust anchor by which they canverify a certificate held by the other, if they can identify anothernode 105-n in the wireless communication network 100 that has at leastone trust anchor by which it can authenticate each of the first node105-1 and the second node 105-2. For example, consider that neither thefirst node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 has a trust anchor by whichit can authenticate the other. The first node 105-1 can then transmit,such as through a network flooding process, a request to a plurality ofadditional nodes 105-n in the wireless communication network 100. Therequest asks for assistance from another node 105-n in mutuallyauthenticating the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2.(According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, such arequest for assistance may not be necessary, as network nodes that canprovide such assistance may, without solicitation, periodically announcesuch capabilities to other network nodes.)

Next, consider that a third node 105-3 receives the request forassistance transmitted from the first node 105-1, and the third node105-3 determines that it has a trust anchor by which it can verify afirst certificate held by the first node 105-1 and also has a secondtrust anchor by which it can verify a second certificate in common withthe second node 105-2. The third node 105-3 will therefore transmit aresponse to the first node 105-1 indicating that the third node 105-3can assist in mutually authenticating the first node 105-1 and thesecond node 105-2.

According to embodiments of the present invention, lists of trustanchors and certificates associated with particular nodes 105-n can bedisseminated to other nodes 105-n using various techniques. For example,the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 can directly exchangelists of trust anchors and certificates immediately after determiningthat they need to mutually authenticate. The lists of trust anchors andcertificates associated with the first and second nodes 105-1, 105-2then can be transmitted to the third node 105-3 along with the requestfor assistance in mutually authenticating. Alternatively, nodes 105-ncan periodically transmit advertisements throughout the wirelesscommunication network 100. A particular node 105-n can then referencesuch advertisements when it needs to determine whether a particulartrust anchor would enable it to authenticate another node 105-n.

After receiving the response from the third node 105-3, indicating thatthe third node 105-3 can assist in mutually authenticating the firstnode 105-1 and the second node 105-2, the first node 105-1 may alsoreceive a similar response from a fourth node 105-4, or even receivesimilar responses from a plurality of additional nodes 105-n. The firstand second nodes 105-1, 105-2 will then need to determine which one ofthe responding nodes 105-n should be selected to assist in mutuallyauthenticating the first and second nodes 105-1, 105-2. According toembodiments of the present invention, various arbitration processes canbe used to make such a determination. For example, the node 105-1 canemploy a protocol that selects a responding node 105-n that has thelowest medium access control (MAC) address. As will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art, various other arbitration processes also canbe used, such as processes that select a responding node 105-n that isclosest to the first node 105-1, has the lowest interference, has thebest signal to noise (S/N) ratio, or combinations of such processes.

Consider that the first and second nodes 105-1, 105-2 agree that thethird node 105-3 should provide assistance in mutually authenticatingthe first and second nodes 105-1, 105-2. The first node 105-1 will thenmutually authenticate with the third node 105-3, and the second node105-2 will also mutually authenticate with the third node 105-3. Suchmutual authentications can be performed according to standard processesknown in the art that exchange authentication data, for example byexchanging signed messages comprising International TelecommunicationUnion (ITU) telecommunication standardization sector (ITU-T) X.509digital certificates. The third node 105-3 can then securely transmitkeying material both to the first node 105-1 and to the second node105-2. For example such keying material can include a pseudo-randomnumber generated at the third node 105-3. The first and second nodes105-1, 105-2 will then mutually authenticate by completing a sharedsecret mutual authentication protocol that proves that each has thekeying material that was transmitted from the third node 105-3 andtherefore has authenticated with the third node 105-3. For example, sucha shared secret mutual authentication protocol could be a four wayhandshake conforming to an Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE) 802.11i (WPAv2) standard that specifies securitymechanisms for wireless networks. During the four way handshake thekeying material thus can function for example as a pair wise master key(PMK) or as a master session key (MSK), as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, thekeying material may not be sent from the third node 105-3 directly toboth the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2. Rather, the thirdnode 105-3 can securely provide a first copy of the keying material tothe first node 105-1 and also provide a second copy of the keyingmaterial to the first node 105-1, but where the second copy is encryptedso that it can be decrypted only by the second node 105-2. The firstnode 105-1 can then transmit the second copy of the keying material tothe second node 105-2, and the four way handshake then can be performed.

Referring to FIG. 2, a general flow diagram illustrates a method 200,from the perspective of the first node 105-1, for mutuallyauthenticating the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 that areoperating in the wireless communication network 100, according to someembodiments of the present invention. At step 205, the first node 105-1examines a list of trust anchors and certificates associated with thefirst node 105-1 with a list of trust anchors and certificatesassociated with the second node 105-2. At step 210, the first node 105-1determines that the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 can notmutually authenticate each other.

At step 215, the first node 105-1 identifies the third node 105-3 asbeing able to authenticate both the first node 105-1 and the second node105-2. At step 220, the first node 105-1 then transmits authenticationdata to the third node 105-3. At step 225, the first node 105-1 thenprocesses keying material received from the third node 105-3. Finally,at step 230, the first node 105-1 processes a shared secret mutualauthentication protocol, such as a four way handshake, with the secondnode 105-2. The first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2 are thusmutually authenticated by proving that they each have the keyingmaterial and therefore each has authenticated with the third node 105-3.The method 200 then loops back to step 205, where the first node 105-1can mutually authenticate with another node 105-n in the network 100.Optionally, the method 200 further can be repeated between still othernodes 105-n until all nodes 105-n in the network 100 are mutuallyauthenticated.

Referring to FIG. 3, a general flow diagram illustrates sub-steps of thestep 215 concerning identifying the third node 105-3 in the method 200,as described above, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention. At step 305, the first node 105-1 transmits a request to thethird node 105-3 for assistance in mutually authenticating the firstnode 105-1 and the second node 105-2. At step 310, the first node 105-1receives a response from the third node 105-3 indicating that the thirdnode 105-3 can assist in mutually authenticating the first node 105-1and the second node 105-2.

At step 315, the first node 105-1 receives a response from the fourthnode 105-4 indicating that the fourth node 105-4 can also assist inmutually authenticating the first node 105-1 and the second node 105-2.Then, at step 320, the first node 105-1 selects the third node 105-3 toprovide assistance in mutually authenticating the first node 105-1 andthe second node 105-2. As described above, such a selection can beperformed according to one of various types of arbitration processes.

Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram illustrates components of anode 105-n of the wireless communication network 100, according to someembodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art willrecognize that the present invention can be embodied in a system of sucha node 105-n, for example in the form of a mobile telephone, notebookcomputer, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), or otherwireless communication device. A system of a node 105-n can include aprocessor 405 such as a standard microprocessor or application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC) operatively coupled to a memory 410. Thememory 410 comprises a computer readable medium such as a random accessmemory (e.g., static random access memory (SRAM)), read only memory(e.g., programmable read only memory (PROM), or erasable programmableread only memory (EPROM)), or hybrid memory (e.g., FLASH) as is wellknown in the art. The medium then comprises the mutual authenticationcomputer readable program code components 110 that, when processed bythe processor 405, are configured to cause the execution of the abovedescribed steps of the method 200. Communications such as those involvedin the method 200 are then transmitted from or received by a transceiver415 that is operatively coupled to the processor 405.

Advantages of the present invention thus include enabling two nodesoperating in a wireless communication network to be mutuallyauthenticated, even where the two nodes can not directly authenticateeach other. By soliciting assistance from a third node, which canauthenticate each of the two nodes that seek to mutually authenticate,the third node can function as a trust bridge and enable the two nodesto mutually authenticate. As described herein, use of such a trustbridge can provide a fast and efficient means of mutual authentication.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the presentinvention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the artappreciates that various modifications and changes can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention as set forth in theclaims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and allsuch modifications are intended to be included within the scope of thepresent invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, andany element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution tooccur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical,required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims.The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including anyamendments made during the pendency of this application and allequivalents of those claims as issued.

1. A method for mutually authenticating a first node and a second nodeoperating in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:identifying, at the first node, a third node that can authenticate boththe first node and the second node; transmitting, from the first node tothe third node, authentication data for authenticating the first nodewith the third node; processing, at the first node, keying materialreceived from the third node; and processing, at the first node, ashared secret mutual authentication protocol with the second node,whereby the first node and the second node are mutually authenticated byproving that they each have authenticated with the third node and eachhave the keying material.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:comparing a list of trust anchors and certificate information associatedwith the first node and a list of trust anchors and certificateinformation associated with the second node; and determining that thefirst node and the second node can not mutually authenticate.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the list of trust anchors and certificateinformation associated with the second node is received at the firstnode from the second node in response to an authentication request. 4.The method of claim 2, wherein the list of trust anchors and certificateinformation associated with the second node is received at the firstnode as an advertisement transmitted from the second node.
 5. The methodof claim 1, wherein the keying material functions as a pair wise masterkey (PMK) or as a master session key (MSK) between the first node andthe second node.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the shared secretmutual authentication protocol is a four way handshake conforming to anInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11istandard.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the third nodethat can authenticate both the first node and the second node comprises:transmitting a request from the first node to the third node forassistance in mutually authenticating the first node and the secondnode; and receiving a response from the third node indicating that thethird node can assist in mutually authenticating the first node and thesecond node, because the third node has at least one trust anchor withwhich the third node can authenticate each of the first node and thesecond node.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the request transmittedfrom the first node to the third node for assistance in mutuallyauthenticating the first node and the second node is also forwarded to aplurality of additional nodes in the network.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein identifying, at the first node, a third node that canauthenticate both the first node and the second node comprises:receiving a response from a fourth node, where the fourth node isincluded in the plurality of additional nodes in the network, theresponse indicating that the fourth node can also assist in mutuallyauthenticating the first node and the second node, because the fourthnode also has at least one trust anchor with which the fourth node canauthenticate each of the first node and the second node; and selecting,using an arbitration process between the first node and the second node,the third node to provide assistance in mutually authenticating thefirst node and the second node.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereinidentifying the third node that can authenticate both the first node andthe second node comprises receiving an unsolicited announcement from thethird node, where the announcement indicates that the third node canauthenticate both the first node and the second node.
 11. A system formutually authenticating a first node and a second node operating in awireless communication network, the system comprising: computer readableprogram code components configured to cause, at the first node,identification of a third node that can authenticate both the first nodeand the second node; computer readable program code componentsconfigured to cause transmission, from the first node to the third node,of authentication data for authenticating the first node with the thirdnode; computer readable program code components configured to causeprocessing, at the first node, of keying material received from thethird node; and computer readable program code components configured tocause processing, at the first node, of a shared secret mutualauthentication protocol with the second node, whereby the first node andthe second node are mutually authenticated by proving that they eachhave authenticated with the third node and each have the keyingmaterial.
 12. The system of claim 11, further comprising: computerreadable program code components configured to cause comparison of alist of trust anchors and certificate information associated with thefirst node and a list of trust anchors and certificate informationassociated with the second node; and computer readable program codecomponents configured to cause a determination that the first node andthe second node can not mutual authenticate each other.
 13. The systemof claim 12, wherein the list of trust anchors and certificateinformation associated with the second node is received at the firstnode from the second node in response to an authentication request. 14.The system of claim 12, wherein the list of trust anchors andcertificate information associated with the second node is received atthe first node as an advertisement transmitted from the second node. 15.The system of claim 11, wherein the keying material functions as a pairwise master key (PMK) or as a master session key (MSK) between the firstnode and the second node.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the sharedsecret mutual authentication protocol is a four way handshake conformingto an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11istandard.
 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readableprogram code components configured to cause, at the first node,identification of the third node comprise: computer readable programcode components configured to cause transmission of a request from thefirst node to the third node for assistance in mutually authenticatingthe first node and the second node; and computer readable program codecomponents configured to cause processing of a response from the thirdnode indicating that the third node can assist in mutuallyauthenticating the first node and the second node, because the thirdnode has at least one trust anchor with which the third node canauthenticate each of the first node and the second node.
 18. The systemof claim 17, wherein the computer readable program code componentsconfigured to cause transmission of the request from the first node tothe third node, for assistance in mutually authenticating the first nodeand the second node, also cause transmission of the request to aplurality of additional nodes in the network.
 19. The system of claim18, further comprising: computer readable program code componentsconfigured to cause processing of a response from a fourth node, wherethe fourth node is included in the plurality of additional nodes in thenetwork, the response indicating that the fourth node can also assist inmutually authenticating the first node and the second node, because thefourth node also has at least one trust anchor with which the fourthnode can authenticate both the first node and the second node; andcomputer readable program code components configured to cause selection,using an arbitration process between the first node and the second node,of the third node to provide assistance in mutually authenticating thefirst node and the second node.
 20. A system for mutually authenticatinga first node and a second node operating in a wireless communicationnetwork, the system comprising: means for identifying, at the firstnode, a third node that can authenticate both the first node and thesecond node; means for transmitting, from the first node to the thirdnode, authentication data for authenticating the first node with thethird node; means for processing, at the first node, keying materialreceived from the third node; and means for processing, at the firstnode, a shared secret mutual authentication protocol with the secondnode, whereby the first node and the second node are mutuallyauthenticated by proving that they each have authenticated with thethird node and each have the keying material.